Durham get their 2003 campaign underway at Somerset on Wednesday desperate to erase the memory of last summer's dismal season.

Durham get their 2003 campaign underway at Somerset on Wednesday desperate to erase the memory of last summer's dismal season.

The Riversiders finished 46 points adrift at the foot of the Frizzell County Championship Second Division after managing just one win.

And Durham Dynamos only narrowly avoided the wooden spoon in the top-flight of the limited-over National League.

There is, as they say, plenty room for an improvement for Durham as they embark on their 13th campaign as a professional county.

After suffering an horrendous list of injuries, often to key players, over the past two years it's to be hoped that's it's not a case of unlucky 13.

But the early season portents have been far from encouraging as the injury jinx returned to the Chester-le-Street HQ in devastating fashion.

Paul Collingwood, one of the stars of England's ill-fated World Cup campaign, could be a long-term casualty after he dislocated his shoulder fielding in a warm-up game at Lancashire.

And promising Teessider Mark Davies - one of the few plusses to emerge from last summer - will be another absentee at the start of the new season.

Davies' 36 First Class wickets in his first full season was just one short of leading wicket-taker, Neil Killeen.

But the 22-year-old, who underwent a major operation 18 months ago, suffered another collapsed lung before the Lancashire game.

The absence of Collingwood and Davies is compounded by the unavailability of overseas star Martin Love, currently with Australia in the West Indies, for the first six weeks.

Fellow overseas player, South Africa seamer Dewald Pretorious, is available after the Taunton opener while India strike bowler Javagal Srinath deputises for Love.

"I don't think we've had a full squad to choose from since I came to Durham two years ago," said coach Martyn Moxon. The former England opener who has signed a contract until the end of the 2006 campaign however remains convinced there is a bright future for the county.

"In two or three years' time we want to have a competitive, winning team that will continue in that vein for 10 years," he added.

"The squad, with the odd exception, is certainly young enough and, when everyone is fit and with Vince Wells now on board, we'll have the right mix of youth and experience."

"Last year was extremely disappointing and frustrating but we can achieve our goal of producing a successful club based largely on local talent."

Youngsters like Player of the Year Gary Pratt and batsman Gordon Muchall certainly made their mark in 2002 along with giant Hartlepool opener Michael Gough.

But the contribution from the senior players, too often lacking last summer, needs to improve if Durham are to push for promotion in both competitions.